Coal is a naturally occurring solid material comprised of mostly amorphous elemental carbon with low percentages of hydrocarbons, complex organic compounds and inorganic material. Coal is used in bulk as both a source of raw chemical materials and as a fuel. Coal is typically utilized in the form of chunks which vary in size from softball size lumps to fine powder granules and is stored either outdoors or in covered areas near the location where the coal will be ultimately used.
When coal is exposed to air, the amorphous elemental carbon slowly oxidizes to form CO.sub.2 and heat. Oxidation is accelerated in the presence of moisture and elevated temperature. Oxidation is a detrimental process since it reduces the caloric heating value of coal and can cause spontaneous combustion, or coal self-ignition. Additionally, in some instances where coal self-ignition occurs in the presence of airborne coal dust, coal dust explosions can also occur. Coal has traditionally been stored in compacted piles to reduce the intrusion of air and moisture and to thereby mitigate the oxidation process. Piling does not halt coal oxidation but is merely an attempt to slow the oxidation rate. The ideal coal pile is large enough to reduce the surface area of the coal which is exposed to air, yet small enough that heat generated within the coal pile is dissipated into the surrounding environment. Unfortunately, in large coal handling facilities, such as but not limited to coal fueled power plants, the large quantity of coal utilized makes ideal conditions difficult to achieve and incidents of coal self-ignition resulting from coal oxidation are common occurrences. Coal fires and coal dust explosions pose serious dangers to personnel and are costly in terms of damaged equipment and consumed coal. Thus a need exists for a composition and a method for using the composition which inhibits coal oxidation to preserve the caloric heating value of coal and to inhibit coal self-ignition.
It is an object of this invention to provide a composition and a method of using the composition which inhibits the oxidation of coal and thereby also inhibits coal self-ignition and preserves the caloric heating value of coal.